Hungarian president resigns in plagiarism scandal

Hungarian President Pál Schmitt announced his resignation during a speech in front of Parliament on 2 April in the midst of his thesis doctorate plagiarism scandal. He was stripped of his doctorate following an investigation conducted by the highest-ranking decision making body of the Semmelweis University which found that Schmitt had copied virtually his entire thesis.

On 30 March, Schmitt had said that he had no intention to resign because “my conscience is clear”. However, this had changed over the weekend after inter-governmental pressure was mounting for him to step down.

Rector Tivadar Tulassay had announced his resignation on 29 March reasoning that he felt such a loss of confidence by the cabinet could already be damaging for the university.

On May 2, the Hungarian parliament will elect a new president. The ruling Fidesz (Civic Union) party has a two-thirds majority and the election of its candidate, European Parliament deputy Janos Ader, is regarded as guaranteed. Ader is a close associate of Prime Minister Victor Orban. His assumption of the country’s highest office will invariably consolidate and advance the policies of Orban’s right-wing government: here.

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HUNGARY: The neonazi Jobbik party sought to capitalise on rising anti-austerity sentiment yesterday by staging a march in Budapest against the government’s regressive economic policies.

Jobbik leader Gabor Vona said sucessive Fidesz and Socialist governments had ruined Hungary in the 22 years since the restoration of capitalism, selling out the country to foreign banks and transnational companies.

Speaking at the end of the event he called “The Hungarian March of Life,” Mr Vona also lashed out at gay people and the Roma minority and said the country’s Jewish citizens were “anti-Hungarian.”

HUNGARY: Activists of the far-right Jobbik party and other nationalist groups rallied in paramilitary uniforms in Csokako on Saturday to unveil a statue of former clerical-fascist leader Miklos Horthy.

Admiral Horthy seized power after crushing the communist revolution in the country in 1919. He was an ally of Germany during World War II but was overthrown by Hitler in 1944 after attempting to surrender to the Soviets.

The government distanced itself from the erection of the statue but critics said rehabilitating the brutal dictator was a sign of the rise of right-wing extremism in Hungary.